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2014 Israel–Gaza conflict
– 26 August 2014 (50 days) |place = Gaza Strip Israel |result = Both sides claim victory *According to Israel and an advisor to Palestinian President Abbas,PA official: Hamas should admit defeat, Khaled Abu Toameh, 28 August 2014: "Mahmoud al-Habbash, a senior adviser to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, hinted on Thursday that Hamas and other Palestinian groups in the Gaza Strip should admit their defeat in Operation Protective Edge." Hamas was severely weakened and achieved none of its demands *According to Hamas, Israel was repelled from Gaza |image = |caption = (left) A home in Gaza bombed by Israel (right) Iron Dome missile defense system in operation |combatant1 = Armament support: United States |combatant2 = Gazan militant groups * Hamas * Islamic Jihad * DFLP"Qassam brigades claim rocket, mortar fire at southern Israel", Ma'an News Agency, Monday 21 July 2014. * PFLP *PRC *al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades *Abdullah Azzam Brigades Armament support: |commander1 = Benjamin Netanyahu Prime Minister Moshe Ya'alon Defense Minister Benny Gantz Chief of General Staff Amir Eshel Air Force Commander Ram Rothberg Naval Commander Sami Turgeman Southern Commander Mickey Edelstein Gaza Division Yoram Cohen Chief of Shin Bet |commander2 = Khaled Mashal Leader of Hamas Ismail Haniyeh Deputy chief of Hamas Mohammed Deif Head of Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades Ramadan Shalah Leader of PIJ |units1 = Israeli Army Israeli Air Force Israeli Navy Shin Bet |units2 = Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades Abu Ali Mustapha Brigades Al-Nasser Salah al-Deen Brigades Al-Quds Brigades |strength1 = 176,500 active personnel 445,000 reservists |strength2 = Al-Qassam Brigades: 10,000 –40,000 Al-Quds Brigades: ≈5,000 |casualties1 = 66 soldiers and 6 civilians (including 1 Thai national) killed, 469 soldiers and 256 civilians wounded |casualties2 = Gaza Health Ministry: 2,143 killed, 11,100 wounded (>70% civilians) PCHR: 2,191 killed (1,660 civilians), 10,895 wounded UN OCHA: 2,131 killed (1,473 civilians, 279 militants, 379 unknown)Occupied Palestinian Territory: Gaza Emergency Situation Report (as of 4 September 2014, 08:00 hrs), OCHA ITIC: 2,157 killed (51% civilians, 49% militants) The percent of militants is not final and is based on examination of 40% of the names of casualties. IDF: 2,127 killed (55% civilians, 45% militants), 250 captured (159 identified as militants)Report: 3 prisoners captured in Operation Protective Edge released Jerusalem Post, 16 August 2014 |campaignbox = }} On 8 July 2014, Israel launched Operation Protective Edge ( , Miv'tza Tzuk Eitan, lit. "Operation Strong Cliff"), The IDF's official Arabic name for the operation, translated into English, is "Operation Resolute Cliff". }} in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip. Thereafter, seven weeks of Israeli bombardment, Palestinian rocket attacks, and ground fighting killed more than 2,200 people, the vast majority of them Gazans. Gaza peace deal agreed to end 50 days of fighting The National. Retrieved 27 August 2014. The stated aim of the Israeli operation was to stop rocket fire from Gaza into Israel, which non-Hamas factions intensified after an Israeli crackdown on Hamas in the West Bank following the kidnapping and murder of 3 Israeli teenagers by two Hamas members.Orlando Crowcroft, 'Hamas official: we were behind the kidnapping of three Israeli teenagers', The Guardian, 21 August 2014. Jack Khoury, Hamas claims responsibility for three Israeli teens' kidnapping and murder', Haaretz 21 August 2014.'Mashal: Hamas was behind murder of three Israeli teens', Ynet, 22 August 2014. On 7 July, after an airstrike killed seven Hamas militants in Khan Yunis, Hamas itself assumed responsibility for missiles fired from Gaza and launched 40 rockets towards Israel.Christa Case Bryant, 'Ending détente, Hamas takes responsibility for today's spike in rocket fire (+video)', Christian Science Monitor, 7 July 2014: "After days of steadily increasing strikes, Hamas militants in Gaza launched at least 40 rockets tonight alone in what appears to be a decision to escalate the conflict. The dramatic spike in rocket attacks is likely to put significant pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to heed calls for an all-out offensive against the Islamist movement, which Israel and the US consider a terrorist organization. While there has been intermittent rocket fire from Gaza since the cease-fire that ended the November 2012 Pillar of Defense conflict, Israel has credited Hamas with largely doing its best to keep the various militant factions in line. Today, however, Hamas took direct responsibility for the fire for the first time, sending a barrage of dozens of rockets into Israel in the worst day of such violence in two years." On 17 July, the operation was expanded to an Israeli ground invasion of Gaza with the stated aim of destroying its tunnel system; Israeli ground forces withdrew on 5 August. On 26 August, an open-ended ceasefire was announced. By this time, the IDF reported that Hamas, Islamic Jihad and other militant groups had fired 4,564 rockets and mortars from Gaza into Israel, Egypt says Gaza truce to begin at 7; Israeli killed in mortar strike By Ricky Ben-David, Haviv Rettig Gur and Yifa Yaakov 26 August 2014, Times of Israel while the IDF attacked 5,263 targets in Gaza; at least 34 known tunnels were destroyed and two-thirds of Hamas's 10,000-rocket arsenal was used up or destroyed. A bomb disposal expert in the Palestinian Interior Ministry said that by 22 August, 20,000 tons of explosives had been dropped on Gaza. Between 2,127 and 2,168 Gazans were killed (including 495–578 children) and between 10,895 and 11,100 were wounded. 66 Israeli soldiers, 5 Israeli civilians (including one child)Israeli child 'killed by rocket fired from Gaza', BBC and one Thai civilian were killed and 469 IDF soldiers and 837 Israeli civilians were wounded. The Gaza Health Ministry, UN and some human rights groups reported that 69–75% of the Palestinian casualties were civilians; Israeli officials estimated that around 50% of those killed were civilians. On 5 August, OCHA stated that 520,000 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip (approximately 30% of its population) might have been displaced, of whom 485,000 needed emergency food assistance and 273,000 were taking shelter in 90 UN-run schools. 17,200 Gazan homes were totally destroyed or severely damaged, and 37,650 homes suffered damage but were still inhabitable. In Israel, an estimated 5,000 to 8,000 citizens fled their homes due to the threat of rocket and mortar attacks.Nidal al-Mughrabi and Allyn Fisher-Ilan. "Israel, Palestinians launch new three-day truce." Reuters. 10 August 2014. Background }|BlockadeFull|In 2005, Ariel Sharon unilaterally withdrew Israeli forces and settlements from the Gaza Strip.'The Guardian view on the causes of the fighting in Gaza,' The Guardian 25 July 2014. Nonetheless, the ICRC, : "Even though Israel has not had a permanent presence in Gaza since its official disengagement in 2005, it has in fact maintained effective control over the Strip and its borders since 1967." the UN and various human rights organizations : "Amnesty International has repeatedly highlighted that Israel remains the occupying power in the Gaza Strip, due to its continuing control of Gaza's land crossings, air space, and territorial waters, as well as the 'buffer zone' inside the Gaza Strip." consider Israel to still be the de facto occupying power due to its control of Gaza's borders, air space and territorial waters. page 16 The following year, Hamas won a majority of seats in the Palestinian legislative elections. The outcome disconcerted Israel, the United States and the Quartet, and they demanded Hamas accept all previous agreements, recognize Israel's right to exist, and renounce violence; when Hamas refused, they cut off aid to the Palestinian Authority. In mid-2006 an Israeli soldier was captured by Hamas in a cross-border raid. The United States, in response to Fatah moves in October 2006 to form a unity government with Hamas, tried to undo the elections by arming Fatah to overthrow Hamas in Gaza.Nathan Thrall,'Our Man in Palestine,' The New York Review of Books, 14 October 2010: 'Dayton, meanwhile, was overseeing the recruitment, training, and equipping of Abbas's rapidly expanding security forces. Khaled Meshaal, chief of Hamas's politburo, delivered a fiery speech denouncing "the security coup" as a "conspiracy" supported by "the Zionists and the Americans"—charges Fatah denied. In February 2007, on the brink of civil war, Fatah and Hamas leaders traveled to Mecca, where they agreed to form a national unity government, a deal the US opposed because it preferred that Fatah continue to isolate Hamas. Fayyad became finance minister in the new government, despite, he says, American pressure not to join. The Peruvian diplomat Alvaro de Soto, former UN envoy to the Quartet, wrote in a confidential "End of Mission Report" that the violence between Hamas and Fatah could have been avoided had the US not strongly opposed Palestinian reconciliation. "The US," he wrote, "clearly pushed for a confrontation between Fateh and Hamas."' Hamas mounted a coup and gained complete power. : '"We need to reform the Palestinian security apparatus," Dayton said, according to the notes. "But we also need to build up your forces in order to take on Hamas." ... A State Department official adds, "Those in charge of implementing the policy were saying, ‘Do whatever it takes. We have to be in a position for Fatah to defeat Hamas militarily, and only Muhammad Dahlan has the guile and the muscle to do this.' The expectation was that this was where it would end up—with a military showdown." There were, this official says, two "parallel programs"—the overt one, which the administration took to Congress, "and a covert one, not only to buy arms but to pay the salaries of security personnel." In essence, the program was simple. According to State Department officials, beginning in the latter part of 2006, Rice initiated several rounds of phone calls and personal meetings with leaders of four Arab nations—Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. She asked them to bolster Fatah by providing military training and by pledging funds to buy its forces lethal weapons. The money was to be paid directly into accounts controlled by President Abbas. The scheme bore some resemblance to the Iran-contra scandal, in which members of Ronald Reagan's administration sold arms to Iran, an enemy of the U.S. The money was used to fund the contra rebels in Nicaragua, in violation of a congressional ban. Some of the money for the contras, like that for Fatah, was furnished by Arab allies as a result of U.S. lobbying. But there are also important differences—starting with the fact that Congress never passed a measure expressly prohibiting the supply of aid to Fatah and Dahlan. "It was close to the margins," says a former intelligence official with experience in covert programs. "But it probably wasn't illegal." Legal or not, arms shipments soon began to take place.' Israel then defined Gaza as a "hostile territory" forming no part of a sovereign state and put Gaza under a comprehensive economic and political blockade,Elizabeth Spelman, 'The Legality of the Israeli Naval Blockade of the Gaza Strip', Web Journal of Current Legal Issues, Vol 19, No 1, 2013 which also denied access to a third of its arable land and 85% of its fishing areas. The overwhelming consensus of international institutions is that the blockade is a form of collective punishment and illegal. * "UN independent panel rules Israel blockade of Gaza illegal", Haaretz (story by Reuters), 13 September 2011. * * * It has led to considerable economic damage and humanitarian problems in Gaza. Israel maintains that the blockade is legal and necessary to limit Palestinian rocket attacks from the Gaza Strip on its cities and to prevent Hamas from obtaining other weapons. "Position paper on the naval blockade on Gaza." 8 September 2010.}} First Hamas–Fatah reconciliation (2011) Influenced in the Arab Spring and by demonstrations in Ramallah and Gaza, the gap between Hamas and Fatah was bridged in 2011. After Mahmoud Abbas declared his willingness to travel to Gaza and sign an agreement, the IDF killed two Hamas activists in Gaza; the IDF stated the killings were in response to the launching of a single Qassam rocket, which hit no one, but Yedioth Ahronoth's Alex Fishman argued they were a "premeditated escalation" by Israel. In an interview with CNN, Benjamin Netanyahu declared that the reconciliation talks were calls for Israel's destruction, and strongly opposed the idea of a unity government. The November 2012 ceasefire and its violations On 14 November 2012, Israel launched Operation Pillar of Defense with the assassination of the commander of Hamas's military wing, Ahmed Jabari, following hundreds of rocket attacks from Gaza. A week later, on 21 November, Egypt brokered a ceasefire to the conflict which contained the following agreements: # Israel should stop all hostilities in the Gaza Strip land, sea and air, including incursions and targeting of individuals. # All Palestinian factions shall stop all hostilities from the Gaza Strip against Israel, including rocket attacks and all attacks along the border. # The crossings should be opened, facilitating the movement of people and goods; Israel should refrain from restricting residents' movements and from targeting residents in border areas; procedures of implementation should be dealt with 24 hours after the start of the ceasefire. made from rocket debris]] Violations Both Israel and Hamas have argued that the other violated the 2012 ceasefire agreement, resulting in 1 Israeli and 8 Gazan deaths and 5 Israeli and 66 Gazan injuries. According to the Israeli Security Agency (Shabak) there was a sharp decrease in attacks from Gaza in 2013. Nevertheless, 63 rockets (average 5 per month) were launched in 36 rocket attacks in addition to various mortar attacks, all prohibited by the November 2012 ceasefire. The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) reported monthly Israeli attacks involving drones, missiles, small arms fire and airstrikes. Six of the deaths in Gaza occurred in the border area's Access Restricted Areas (ARAs, non-demarcated zones within Gazan territory unilaterally defined by Israel as being of restricted access), despite the ceasefire's prohibition on Israeli attacks on these areas. OCHAO, more broadly sourced data, reported 11 deaths in Gaza and 81 injuries for 2013. In the first three months after the IDF Operation Pillar of Defense, according to Ben White, two mortar shells struck Israeli territory, while four Gazans were shot dead and 91 were wounded by Israeli forces who fired inside Gazan territory on 63 occasions, made 13 incursions into the Strip, and attacked the Gazan fishing fleet 30 times.Ben White, "What a 'period of calm' looks like in the Occupied Territories", Al-Jazeera, 22 February 2013. Israeli attacks on Gaza steadily increased during the second half of 2013, notwithstanding the decrease in attacks from Gaza. From December 2012 to July 2014, Hamas did not fire rockets into Israel, and tried to police other groups doing so. These efforts were largely successful; Netanyahu stated in March 2014 that the rocket fire in the past year was the "lowest in a decade." However, while the ceasefire generally held, the blockade of Gaza continued in direct violation of the ceasefire agreement. : "After the last big Israeli effort to stop the rockets, in November 2012, it was agreed that, along with a ceasefire, the blockade of Gaza would gradually be lifted and the crossings into Egypt and Israel would be opened. The ceasefire generally held, but the siege continued." "Crossings were repeatedly shut and buffer zones were reinstated. Imports declined, exports were blocked, and fewer Gazans were given exit permits to Israel and the West Bank." Israel halted construction material going to Gaza after it stated that it had discovered a tunnel leading into Israel, some 300m from a kibbutz. The IDF said it was the third tunnel discovered that year and that the previous two were packed with explosives. According to the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, there were 85 rocket attacks in the first five months of 2014. Most of the 85 rockets were fired in March, after the IDF killed 3 members of Islamic Jihad. The members of the PIJ say they were firing rockets in response to an incursion by Israeli tanks and bulldozers into Gazan territory east of the Khan Yunis area. The IDF said they were conducting routine military patrols near the Gaza border when they came under fire, and thus responded with airstrikes.IAF strike kills 3 Gaza terrorists in response to mortar shells fire, Yoav Zitun, Elior Levy, 11 March 2014, ynetnewsIDF Kills Three Terrorists Immediately after Mortar Shell Attack, Tzvi Ben-Gedalyahu, 11 March 2014 Second Hamas–Fatah reconciliation On 23 April 2014, Hamas agreed to a reconciliation deal with the other main Palestinian faction, Fatah,Mouin Rabbani, 'Israel mows the lawn', London Review of Books Vol. 36 No 15, 31 July 2014, p. 8. following seven years of division. The Palestinian unity government was sworn in by 2 June 2014 and Israel announced it would not negotiate any peace deal with the new government and would push punitive measures. Stating a day before the agreement that the reconciliation would "strengthen terrorism", Benjamin Netanyahu said: "The international community must not embrace it." The European Union, the United Nations, the United States, China, India, Russia and Turkey all agreed to work with the Palestinian unity government.(6 March 2014) "International community welcomes Palestinian unity government" The Jerusalem Post''Panda, Ankit (4 June 2014) "India and China Back Unified Palestinian Government" ''The Diplomat''Wroughton, Lesley and Zengerle, Patricia (2 June 2014) "Obama administration to work with Palestinian unity government" Reuters The agreement was expected by some to have a significant impact on the current round of peace talks between Mahmoud Abbas' Palestinian Authority and Israel, and shortly after the announcement of the agreement, Israel launched an airstrike in the northern Gaza Strip that injured four people, according to medical officials. Netanyahu had warned before the deal that it would be incompatible with Israeli–Palestinian peace and that Abbas had to choose between peace with Hamas and peace with Israel. When a reconciliation deal was signed, opening the way to the appointment of the new government, Netanyahu chaired a security cabinet which voted to authorise Netanyahu to impose unspecified sanctions against the Palestinian Authority. On 4 June, the day before Naksa Day, the Israeli Housing and Construction Ministry published tenders for 1,500 settlement units in the West Bank and East Jerusalem in a move Minister Uri Ariel said was an "appropriate Zionist response to the Palestinian terror government." According to Marwan Bishara, senior political analyst at Al Jazeera, Israel hoped to disrupt the Palestinian national unity government between Fatah and Hamas by its operation. Immediate events On 12 June 2014, three Israeli teenagers were abducted in the West Bank: Naftali Fraenkel, Gilad Shaer, and Eyal Yifrah. Israel blamed Hamas, and the IDF stated that the two men Israel suspects of having kidnapped the teenagers were known members of Hamas. No evidence of Hamas involvement was offered by the Israeli authoritiesRobert Tait. "Hamas kidnapping: Islamist group to blame for youths' 'kidnapping', Benjamin Netanyahu says", ''The Telegraph, 15 June 2014 and high-ranking members of Hamas have initially denied the group had any involvement in the incident. The Palestinian Authority in the West Bank attributed the abductions to the Qawasameh clan which is notorious for acting against Hamas's policies and any attempts to reach an entente with Israel. Hamas political chief Khaled Meshal said he could neither confirm nor deny the kidnapping of the three Israelis, but congratulated the abductors. The kidnappings were condemned by human rights organizations. Israel launched Operation Brother's Keeper, a large-scale crackdown of what it called Hamas's terrorist infrastructure and personnel in the West Bank, ostensibly aimed at securing the release of the kidnapped teenagers. 10 Palestinians were killed in numerous raids, and between 350 and 600 Palestinians, including nearly all of Hamas's West Bank leaders, were arrested. Among those arrested were many people who had only recently been freed under the terms of the Gilad Shalit prisoner exchange. Israeli military spokesman Lt. Col. Peter Lerner defended the arrests, stating that Hamas members had carried out 60 abduction attempts on Israelis in the West Bank "in the last year and a half", and that "Hamas does not need to give a direct order." Amnesty International has stated that certain aspects of the operation amounted to collective punishment, and B'tselem said in a press release that the actions have caused "disproportionate harm to the basic rights of Palestinians". On 30 June, search teams found the bodies of the three missing teenagers near Hebron. Israeli authorities appear to have known with near certainty from the outset that the three had been shot almost immediately after the kidnapping,Noam Sheizaf,"How the public was manipulated into believing the teens were alive", 972mag.com, 2 July 2014. and BBC reporter Jon Donnison says police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld told him the abductors were a lone cell operating affiliated with Hamas but not operating under its leadership. "Israeli police spokesman Mickey Rosenfeld also said if kidnapping had been ordered by Hamas leadership, they'd have known about it in advance." Later Rosenfeld denied making this claim to BBC, stating instead that "Hamas terrorists from the Hebron area were behind the kidnapping and murder of the children." Al-Monitor has reported that the kidnappers were once Hamas-related branch that had gone rogue.Shlomi Eldar "Accused kidnappers are actually rogue Hamas branch", Al-Monitor, 29 June 2014. After their burial, an anti-Arab riot broke out, and a Palestinian teenager was killed in revenge. His killing sparked Arab rioting. Israeli police rounded up three suspects and charged them with his murder. From 1 May to 11 June, six rockets and three mortar shells were launched from Gaza towards Israel. On 29 June, an Israeli airstrike on a rocket crew killed a Hamas operative, while at least 18 rockets were launched from Gaza through the next day by Hamas according to J.J. Goldberg, who states that it was the first time Hamas itself had launched rockets since the conflict in 2012. Overnight, on 30 June – 1 July, Israeli airstrikes struck 34 Gaza targets in what officials stated was a response to the Sunday rocketry,Nick Logan, 'Mourning, military strikes after Israeli teens found dead', Global News, 1 July 2014 while Stuart Greer reported the strikes were revenge for the deaths of the three youths.Stuart Greer, 'Tensions arise in Israel following murder of teens,' Yahoo News 1 July 2014.'Prime Minister Binjamin Netanyahu vowed Hamas will pay a heavy price . .Their bodies were discovered on Monday, after the biggest Israeli ground operation nearly in a decade. Israel’s revenge came swiftly with fighters pounding dozens of Hamas targets overnight in Gaza and the West Bank.' From the day of the abductions on 12 June through 5 July 117 rockets were launched from Gaza and there were approximately 80 Israeli airstrikes on Gaza. Following escalating rocket fire from Gaza, Israel issued a warning on 4 July that it "would only be able to sustain militant rocket fire for another 24, or maximum 48, hours before undertaking a major military offensive." Hamas declared it was prepared to halt the rocket fire in exchange for an agreement by Israel to stop airstrikes. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would only act against further rocket attacks.'Hamas, ready for Gaza ceasefire' if Israeli raids stop,' BBC News 4 July 2014 Between 4 and 6 July total of 62 rockets where fired from Gaza and the IAF attacked several targets in Gaza.Code red sirens blare in Sderot marking 25th rocket on Friday, Ynet News 4 July 2014After a night of silence, IAF attacks three Gaza targets, Ynet News 5 July 2014Gaza rockets continue to hit southern Israel, Ynet News 6 July 2014 On the night of 6 July, an Israeli air raid in Khan Yunis killed seven Hamas operatives. The following day, Hamas assumed formal responsibility for launching rocket attacks on Israel. Hamas increased rocket attacks on Israel, and by 7 July had fired 100 rockets from Gaza at Israeli territory; at the same time, the Israeli Air Force had bombed several sites in Gaza. Early on 8 July, the IAF bombed 50 targets in the Gaza Strip. Israel's military also stopped a militant infiltration from the sea. Brigadier General Moti Almoz, the chief spokesman of the Israeli military, said: "We have been instructed by the political echelon to hit Hamas hard." Hamas insisted that Israel end all attacks on Gaza, release those re-arrested during the crackdown in the West Bank, lift the blockade on Gaza and return to the cease-fire conditions of 2012 as conditions for a ceasefire. Operation timeline Impact On Gaza residents , August 2014]] , hospitals in Gaza were ill-equipped and faced severe shortages of various kinds of medicine, medical supplies, and fuel. Egypt temporarily reopened the Rafah crossing with Gaza to allow medical supplies to enter and injured Palestinians to receive treatment in Egypt. Also, due to the operation, prices of food, including fish and produce, rose dramatically. A 21 July news report stated that over 83,000 Palestinians had taken shelter in U.N. facilities. Fatah officials accused Hamas of mishandling humanitarian aid meant for civilians. According to them, Hamas took the aid, which included clothing, mattresses, medicine, water, and food, and distributed it among Hamas members or sold it on the black market for profit. According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), over 273,000 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip had been displaced as of 31 July 2014, of whom 236,375 (over eleven percent of the Gazan population) were taking shelter in 88 UNRWA schools. UNRWA exhausted its capacity to absorb displaced persons, and overcrowding in shelters risked the outbreak of epidemics. 1.8 million people were affected by a halt or reduction of the water supply, 138 schools and 26 health facilities were damaged, 872 homes were totally destroyed or severely damaged, and the homes of 5,005 families were damaged but still inhabitable. Throughout the Gaza Strip, people received only 2 hours of electricity per day. The destruction of Gaza's only power plant had an immediate effect on the public health situation and reduced water and sanitation services, with hospitals becoming dependent on generators. On 2 September, UNRWA reported that 58,217 people were sheltering in 31 of their school buildings, a fifth of their buildings. OCHA estimated that at least 373,000 children required psychosocial support. "Intense overcrowding, compounded by the limited access of humanitarian staff to certain areas, is increasingly undermining the living conditions at many shelters and raising protection concerns. Water supply has been particularly challenging..." More than 485,000 internally displaced persons were in need of emergency food assistance. Gaza City, home to 500,000, suffered damage to 20-25% of its housing. Beit Hanoun, with 70% of its housing stock damaged, is considered uninhabitable, with 30,000 residents there in need of accommodation. The only power station in the Strip was knocked out on 29 July, and the infrastructure of power transmission lines and sewage pumps and was severely damaged, with a major sewage pipe catering to 500,000 badly damaged. Among the infrastructure targeted and destroyed by Israel's bombing campaign were 220 factories in various industrial zones, including a major carpentry enterprise, construction companies, a major biscuit factory, dairy farms and livestock, a candy manufacturer, the orange groves of Beit Hanoun, Gaza's largest mosques, and several TV stations. Farms, as a consequence of damage or the presence of unexploded ordnance dropped during the conflict, are often inaccessible, and the damage to agriculture was estimated at over $200 million. 10 out of 26 hospitals closed.Martin Lejeune,'Touring the devastated industrial zones of Gaza,' Ma'an News Agency 18 August 2014.Jason Burke,'Gaza homes 'uninhabitable' as tens of thousands come back to rubble,' The Guardian 11 August 2014. On Israeli residents because of the rocket attacks on Israel.]] Hamas and other Islamist groups in Gaza fired rockets and mortars at Israeli towns and villages. Despite Israel's use of the Iron Dome missile defense systems, several civilians were killed, including a Jewish Israeli, an Arab Israeli and a Thai worker."Israeli Arabs caught in the middle." Daily Mail. An Israeli teen was seriously injured in a rocket strike in the city of Ashkelon."Rocket seriously injures Israeli teen in Ashkelon dual citizens leave Gaza." Jewish Exponent. July 2014. Medical health professionals have noted that Israeli teens prone to mental health problems suffer increasingly during both short-term and long-term conflicts. Experts have identified a number of mental health symptoms which rise during conflict, including anxiety, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, interpersonal sensitivity, phobias, and paranoia. There is some doubt whether these issues will dissipate after the conflict is resolved."Israeli teens' mental health worsens when Arab-Israeli conflict does ." The Times of Israel. 4 August 2014. Rocket attacks from Gaza caused damage to Israeli civilian infrastructure, including factories, gas stations, and homes."Rocket caused massive damage to the gas station, and a fire has broken out", Haaretz, 12 July 2014. At the onset of the operation, the Israeli government canceled all programs within 40 km (24 miles) of Gaza, and requested all people stay at home or near shelter. All summer camps were closed and universities canceled their final exams. Additionally, all gatherings of 300 or more people were banned. Due to the trajectory of rocket fire from Gaza, many flights in and out of Ben-Gurion Airport were delayed or rerouted. Nearly 3,000 claims of damage were submitted to Israel's Tax Authority, which paid $20 million for direct damage and $21 million for indirect damage such as missed work days as of . The Bedouin communities in the Negev, many unrecognised by the Israeli government, were classified as "open areas" and so their 200,000 residents did not have warning sirens or anti-rocket protection. Casualties and losses Palestinian Reports of casualties in the conflict have been made available by a variety of sources. Most media accounts have used figures provided by the government in Gaza or non-governmental organizations. Current reports of the proportion of those killed who were civilians/militants are incomplete, and real-time errors, intentional data manipulation, and diverse methodologies produce notable variations in various sides' figures. However, B'Tselem has stated that after the various groups finish their investigations, their figures are likely to end up about the same. UNICEF and the Gaza Health Ministry reported that from 8 July to 2 August, 296–315 Palestinian children died due to Israeli action, and 30% of civilian casualties were children; by 27 August, the total number of children killed had risen to 495–578, according to OCHA and the Gaza Health Ministry. Human rights groups and the UN use the Gaza Health Ministry's number of Palestinians killed in Gaza as preliminary and add to or subtract from it after conducting their own investigations. For example, human rights groups say that the casualty count provided by the Health Ministry most likely includes victims of Hamas executions, domestic violence, and natural deaths, but they (the human rights groups) remove the accused collaborators (who were shot as close range) from their own counts. Israel contends that the Health Ministry's casualty count also includes deaths caused by rocket or mortar malfunctions. According to data provided by the Palestinian International Middle East Media Center, 79.7% of the Palestinians killed in Gaza were male, with the majority between 16 and 35 (fighting-age). In contrast, a New York Times analysis states that males of ages that are most likely to be militants form 9% of the population but 34% of the casualties, while women and children under 15, who are least likely to be legitimate targets, form 71% of the general population and 33% of the casualties. Israel has pointed to the relatively small numbers of fatalities among women, children and men over 60, and to instances of Hamas fighters being counted as civilians (perhaps due to the broad definition of "civilian" used by the Gaza Health Ministry), to support its view that the number of the dead who were militants is 40–50%. The IDF calculates that 5% of Gaza's military forces were killed in the war. Jana Krause, from the war studies department at Kings College London, stated that "a potential explanation other than combatant roles" for the tendency of the dead to be young men "could be that families expect them to be the first ones to leave shelters in order to care for hurt relatives, gather information, look after abandoned family homes or arrange food and water." ITIC reported cases where children and teenagers served as militants, as well as cases where ages of casualties reported by GHM were falsified, with child militants listed as adults and adults listed as children. Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas said that "more than 120 youths were killed for violating the curfew and house arrest orders issued against them" by Hamas, referring to reports that Hamas targeted Fatah activists in Gaza during the conflict. Abbas said that Hamas also executed more than 30 suspected collaborators without trial. Abbas also said that "over 850 Hamas members and their families" were killed by Israel during the operation.Fatah, Hamas Preparing Groundwork to Dissolve Palestinian Authority Unity Govt, Hana Levi Julian, 7 September 2014, Jewish PressAbbas threatens to break up unity government, 7 September 2014, i24newsFatah members killed in Gaza during war, Abbas reveals, Khaled Abu Toameh, 7 September 2014, The Jerusalem Post During the fighting between Israel and Gaza, solidarity protests occurred in the West Bank, during which several Palestinians died; see Reactions. Israeli During the conflict, 66 IDF soldiers were killed, as were 5 Israeli civilians and 1 Thai civilian. One other person died due to natural causes brought on by the conflict. According to Magen David Adom, 837 civilians were treated for shock (581) or injuries (256): 37 were injured by rockets, 33 by debris from rocket explosions, 18 in traffic accidents which occurred when warning sirens sounded, 159 while running for or in bomb shelters, and 9 in violence in Jerusalem and Maale Adumim.Cease fire in Operation "Protective Edge" is holding MDA sums up 50 days of saving lives, Magen David Adom, 29 August 2014http://www.inn.co.il/News/News.aspx/282756: "במהלך 50 ימי מבצע 'צוק איתן', העניקו כוחות מד"א טיפול ל-842 אזרחים, בהם חמישה הרוגים מרסיסים ועוד 37 נפגעי רסיסים בדרגות שונות: ... בנוסף, טיפלו כוחות מד"א במבצע 'צוק איתן' גם ב-33 בני אדם שנפצעו כתוצאה משברי זכוכיות ומהריסות במבנים, 18 נפגעים כתוצאה מתאונות דרכים שאירעו בעת האזעקות מתוכם 1 במצב קשה והשאר באורח קל ובינוני, 159 נפגעים כתוצאה מחבלות ונפילות בדרך למרחב המוגן ו-581 נפגעי חרדה. 9 נפגעים טופלו בפיגועי טרור ..." — "During the 50-day Strong Cliff campaign, MDA provided care to 842 civilians, including five killed by shrapnel and another 37 hit by shrapnel ... In addition, MDA treated during Operation Strong Cliff 33 people injured as a result of broken glass, and from collapsed buildings, 18 injured by car accidents that occurred when sirens sounded, including one in critical condition and the rest injured lightly and moderately, 159 injuries resulting from blows and falls in generally protected space, and 581 suffering from shock. 9 injured from terrorist attacks were treated ..." 469 IDF soldiers were injured. The first Israeli civilian death occurred at the Erez border crossing with Gaza when a Chabad rabbi, delivering food and drinks on the front line, was hit by mortar fire. The second Israeli civilian killed was a 32-year-old Bedouin who was hit by a rocket in the Negev Desert."Bedouin 'defenseless' as man killed, 4 injured by Gaza rocket", The Times of Israel; accessed 22 July 2014. A Thai migrant worker was also killed by mortar fire while working at a greenhouse in the Ashkelon Coast Regional Council. In addition, an elderly woman in Wadi Nisnas collapsed and died of heart failure during an air-raid siren.Israeli, 61, badly injured by rocket hit in Ashdod BY JTA AND TIMES OF ISRAEL STAFF 11 July 2014 On 22 August, a 4-year-old Israeli child was killed by a mortar fired from Gaza. A barrage of mortar fire killed two Israeli civilians in the Eshkol region, an hour before a ceasefire went into effect. Economic impact Palestinian officials estimated on 4 September that, with 17,000 homes destroyed (and as of early August at least 30,000 partially destroyed)'Israel has caused '$5 billion' damage to Gaza homes,' Ma'an News Agency 3 August 2014. by Israeli bombing, the reconstruction would cost $7.8 billion, which is about 3 times Gaza's GDP for 2011.Scale of Gaza destruction unprecedented, rehabilitation will cost $7.8 billion, PA says - Retrieved 4 September 2014. Gaza City suffered damage to 20–25% of its housing and Beit Hanoun with 70% of its housing uninhabitable. The New York Times noted that damage in this third war was more severe than in the two preceding wars, where in the aftermath of the earlier Operation Cast Lead the damage inflicted was $4 billion, 3 times the then GDP of Gaza's economy. Strikes on the few industries will take years to repair. Gaza's main power plant on Salaheddin Road was destroyed, leaving the Strip with only electric generator power for the next year. Two sewage pumping stations in Zeitoun were damaged. The biggest private company in Gaza, the Alawda biscuit and ice cream factory, employing 400, was destroyed by a shelling barrage on 31 July, a few days after undertaking to supply its Choco Sandwich biscuits to 250,000 refugees in response to a request from the World Food Programme; other strikes targeted a plastics factory, a sponge-making plant, the offices of Gaza's main fruit distribution network, the El Majd Industrial and Trading Corporation's factory for cardboard box, carton and plastic bag production, Gaza's biggest dairy product importer and distributor, Roward International. Trond Husby, chief of the UN's Gaza development programme in Gaza, commented that the level of destruction now is worse than in Somalia, Sierra Leone, South Sudan and Uganda. A number of tunnels leading into both Israel and Egypt were destroyed throughout the operation. There were reports that the tunnels between Gaza and Egypt were bringing an estimated $700 million into Gaza's economy through goods or services. Several Palestinians argued that the tunnels had been critical to supporting the residents of Gaza, either through the employment they provided or through the goods that they allowed in — goods which were otherwise not available unless shipped through Egypt. However, tunnels along the Israeli border serve a purely military purpose. During the ground invasion, Israeli forces destroyed livestock in Gaza. In Beit Hanoun, 370 cows were killed by tank shelling and airstrikes. In Beit Lahiya, 20 camels were shot by ground forces. Israel's Minister of Finance estimated that the operation would cost Israel NIS 8.5 billion (approximately US$2.5 billion), which is similar to Operation Cast Lead in 2009 and higher than Operation Pillar of Defense in 2012. The forecast included military and non-military costs, including military expenditure and property damage. The calculation indicates that if the operation lasts 20 days, the loss in GDP will be 0.4%. Reactions International pro-Palestinian protest in Berlin, 25 July 2014]] in Helsinki, Finland]] Gaza On 6 August 2014, thousands of Palestinians rallied in Gaza in support of Hamas, they demanded an end to Blockade of Gaza strip. Some Gazans have attempted to protest against Hamas. Hamas has accused such protesters of being Israeli spies and has killed more than 50 of them. Around 6 August, Palestinian protesters reportedly attacked and beat up Hamas spokesperson Sami Abu Zuhri because they blamed Hamas for inciting Operation Protective Edge. Gazans hold Hamas responsible for the humanitarian crisis. wanted the militants to stop firing rockets from their neighborhoods to avoid Israel's reaction.As war with Israel shatters lives, more Gazans question Hamas decisions, The Washington Post An unknown number of Palestinians, estimated in the hundreds or thousands, have tried to flee to Europe due to the conflict. The Palestinian rights group Adamir collected the names of 400 missing persons. In what was described as the "worst shipwreck in years", a boat carrying refugees was rammed by smugglers and capsized off the coast of Malta, resulting in the deaths of about 400 people. According to interviews with survivors, they paid smugglers between $2,000-$5,000 or used legal travel permits, to get to Egypt. One refugee who died had considered the boat to be rickety but told his father "I have no life in Gaza anyway". Israel and the West Bank verse 37: "I pursued my enemies and overtook them; I did not turn back till they were destroyed."]] A majority of the Israeli public supports Operation Protective Edge. Nonetheless, there were protests throughout Israel, after which nearly 700 people were arrested, including 224 people from East Jerusalem. Most were subsequently released, but some face charges. There were continuous protests and clashes in the West Bank. The funeral of Mohammed Abu Khdeir on 4 July was joined by thousands of mourners, and was accompanied by clashes across east Jerusalem throughout the weekend. According to OCHA, 23 Palestinians were killed and 2,218 were wounded by the IDF, 38% of the latter by live fire. (outdated figures)Gideon Levy, 'The IDF’s real face', Haaretz, 30 August 2014Protection of Civilians: OCHA Weekly Report 24-30 June 2014, West Bank: as of 30 June (prior to Operation Protective Edge), 17 Palestinians had been killed by Israeli forces in 2014; Protection of Civilians: OCHA Weekly Report 2-8 September 2014, West Bank: as of 8 September (after Operation Protective Edge), the number had risen to 40 According to the PLO, 32 Palestinians were killed in the West Bank in the period 13 June – 26 August, nearly 1400 were wounded by Israeli fire and 1,700 were detained in the largest offensive in the West Bank since the Second Intifada. The PLO also stated that 1,472 settlement homes had been approved over the summer. On 1 September, Israel announced a plan to expropriate 1,000 acres of land in the West Bank, reportedly as a "reaction to the deplorable murder in June of three Israeli teenagers", which Amnesty International denounced as the "largest land grab in the Occupied Palestinian Territories since the 1980s". The EU complained about the land expropriation and warned of renewed violence in Gaza; the US called it "counterproductive". Alleged violations of international humanitarian law A number of legal issues concerning the conflict arose during course of the fighting. Various human rights groups have argued that both Palestinian rocket attacks and Israeli targeted destruction of homes of Hamas and other militia members violated international humanitarian law and might constitute war crimes, violations of international humanitarian law."52 Palestinians killed in bombings of homes in Gaza Strip, which are unlawful", B'tselem, 13 July 2014; accessed 22 July 2014. Navi Pillay, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, accused Hamas militants of violating international humanitarian law by "locating rockets within schools and hospitals, or even launching these rockets from densely populated areas." She also criticized Israel's military operation, stating that there was "a strong possibility that international law has been violated, in a manner that could amount to war crimes", and specifically criticizing Israel's actions in Gaza as disproportionate. Amnesty International found evidence that "during the current hostilities, Hamas spokespeople reportedly urged residents in some areas of the Gaza Strip not to leave their homes after the Israeli military dropped leaflets and made phone calls warning people in the area to evacuate", and that international humanitarian law was clear in that "even if officials or fighters from Hamas or Palestinian armed groups associated with other factions did in fact direct civilians to remain in a specific location in order to shield military objectives from attacks, all of Israel's obligations to protect these civilians would still apply." Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh has urged the Palestinian Authority to sign the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court;'Haniyeh urges Abbas to stop 'stalling' on ICC', Ma'an News Agency, 12 September 2014. the fact that the PA has not done so yet has prevented the ICC from launching a formal investigation . ICC prosecutor Geoffrey Nice said that a "decision to do nothing clearly emerges from the meeting" with the PA foreign minister Riad Malki. The UNHRC has appointed a panel led by William Schabas to investigate war crimes allegations by both sides. Israel criticized Schabas as biased because he repeatedly made statements against Israel and in support of Hamas, and has announced its own investigations of both military and civilian leadership and the conduct during the war. Schabas denies any bias. According to the New York Times, "Of 44 cases initially referred to army fact-finding teams for preliminary examination, seven have been closed, including one involving the death of eight members of a family when their home was struck on July 8, the first day of the Israeli air campaign, and others are pending." Human rights organizations have expressed little confidence in Israel's measures, citing past experience. B'Tselem has refused to participate in the army investigation. Alleged violations by Israel Civilian deaths Many of those killed were civilians, prompting concern from many humanitarian organisations. An investigation by Human Rights Watch concluded that Israel had probably committed war crimes on three specific incidents involving strikes on UNWRA schools.'HRW: Israel likely to have committed Gaza war crimes,' Ma'an News Agency 10 September 2014. Amnesty International stated that: "Israeli forces have carried out attacks that have killed hundreds of civilians, including through the use of precision weaponry such as drone-fired missiles, and attacks using munitions such as artillery, which cannot be precisely targeted, on very densely populated residential areas, such as Shuja'iyya. They have also directly attacked civilian objects." B'tselem has compiled an infogram listing families killed at home in 72 incidents of bombing or shelling, comprising 547 people killed, of whom 125 were women under 60, 250 were minors, and 29 were over 60. On 24 August, Palestinian health officials said that 89 families had been killed. Nine people were killed while watching the World Cup in a cafe, and 8 members of a family died that Israel has said were inadvertently killed. A Golani soldier interviewed about his operations inside Gaza said they often could not distinguish between civilians and Hamas fighters because some Hamas operatives dressed in plainclothes and the night vision goggles made everything look green. One soldier interviewed stated that if preserving IDF lives meant civilians were killed, that was acceptable. An IDF spokesperson said that Hamas "deploys in residential areas, creating rocket launch sites, command and control centers, and other positions deep in the heart of urban areas. By doing so, Hamas chooses the battleground where the IDF is forced to operate."Simone Wilson,'The fury (and boredom) of war: Battlefield stories of courage, fear and frustration from IDF soldiers in Gaza,'The Jewish Journal 20 August 2014. Warnings prior to attacks In many cases the IDF warned civilians prior to targeting militants in highly populated areas in order to comply with international law.Ayalon, Ami. "Israel's Response Is Proportionate to Hamas's Threat", The New York Times, 22 July 2014; accessed 28 July 2014.Dershowitz, Alan. "The current conflict between Israel and Hamas shatters myths", The Jerusalem Post, 10 July 2014.Baker, Alan. "The Latest Hamas-Israel Confrontation — Some Pertinent Legal Points", Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs. July–August 2014. Human rights organizations including Amnesty International, confirmed that in many cases, Palestinians received warnings prior to evacuation, including flyers, phone calls and roof knocking. However, the IDF was criticized for not giving civilians enough time to evacuate. In one case, the warning came less than one minute before the bombing. Hamas has told civilians to return to their homes or stay put following Israeli warnings to leave. In many cases, Palestinians evacuated; in others, they have stayed in their homes. Israel condemned Hamas's encouragement of Palestinians to remain in their homes despite warnings in advance of airstrikes. Hamas stated that the warnings were a form of psychological warfare and that people would be equally or more unsafe in the rest of Gaza. Amnesty International said that "although the Israeli authorities claim to be warning civilians in Gaza, a consistent pattern has emerged that their actions do not constitute an "effective warning" under international humanitarian law." Human Rights Watch concurred. Many Gazans, when asked, told journalists that they remained in their houses simply because they had nowhere else to go. OCHA's spokesman has said "there is literally no safe place for civilians" in Gaza.'No safe place for civilians' in Gaza, U.N. says, Reuters.com; accessed 28 July 2014. Roof knocking has been condemned as unlawful by Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch as well as the United Nations Fact Finding Mission in the 2008 war. Destruction of homes Israel has targeted many homes in this conflict. This has led to many members of the same family being killed. B'Tselem documented 59 incidents of bombing and shelling, in which 458 people were killed. In some cases, Israel has stated that these homes were of suspected militants and were used for military purposes. The New York Times noted that the damage in this operation was higher than in the previous two wars and stated that 60,000 people had been left homeless as a result.'Assessing the Damage and Destruction in Gaza,' The destruction of homes has been condemned by B'Tselem, Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International as unlawful, amounting to collective punishment and war crimes. Israel has also destroyed the homes of two suspects in the case of the abduction and killing of the three teenagers. The house demolition has been condemned by B'Tselem as unlawful. Palestinians returning to their homes during the ceasefire reported that IDF soldiers had trashed their homes, destroyed home electronics such as TV sets, spreading feces in their homes, and carving slogans such as "Burn Gaza down" and "Good Arab = dead Arab" in walls and furniture. The IDF did not respond to a request by The Guardian for comment. Shelling of UNRWA schools Infrastructure On 23 July, twelve human rights organizations in Israel released a letter to Israeli government warning that "Gaza Strip's civilian infrastructure is collapsing". They noted that "due to Israel's ongoing control over significant aspects of life in Gaza, Israel has a legal obligation to ensure that the humanitarian needs of the people of Gaza are met and that they have access to adequate supplies of water and electricity." They note that many water and electricity systems were damaged during the conflict, which has led to a "pending humanitarian and environmental catastrophe". The Sydney Morning Herald reported that "almost every piece of critical infrastructure, from electricity to water to sewage, has been seriously compromised by either direct hits from Israeli air strikes and shelling or collateral damage." Between five and eight of the 10 power lines that bring electricity from Israel were disabled, some by Hamas rocket fire. On 29 July, Israel bombed Gaza's only power plant, which is estimated to take a year to repair. Amnesty International said the crippling of the power station amounted to "collective punishment of Palestinians". Human Rights Watch has stated that "damaging or destroying a power plant, even if it also served a military purpose, would be an unlawful disproportionate attack under the laws of war". Attacks on journalists 13 journalists were killed in the conflict, of which five were off-duty and two (from Associated Press) were covering a bomb disposal team's efforts to defuse an unexploded Israeli artillery shell when it exploded. In several cases, the journalists were killed while having markings distinguishing them as press on their vehicles or clothing. IDF stated that in one case it had precise information that a vehicle marked "TV" that was hit killing one alleged journalist was in military use. Several media outlets, including the offices of Al-Jazeera, were hit. The International Federation of Journalists has condemned the attacks as "appalling murders and attacks". Journalists are considered civilians and should not be targeted under international humanitarian law. The Israeli army said it does not target journalists, and that it contacts news media "in order to advise them which areas to avoid during the conflict". Israel has made foreign journalists sign a waiver stating that it is not responsible for their safety in Gaza, which Reporters Without Borders calls contrary to international law. Israel has bombed Hamas's Al-Aqsa radio and TV stations because of their "propaganda dissemination capabilities used to broadcast the messages of (Hamas's) military wing." Reporters Without Borders and Al-Haq condemned the attacks, saying "an expert committee formed by the International Criminal Court's prosecutor for the former Yugoslavia, to assess the NATO bombing campaign of 1999, specified that a journalist or media organization is not a legitimate target merely because it broadcasts or disseminates propaganda." The U.S. government classifies Al-Aqsa TV as being controlled by Hamas, a "Specially Designated Global Terrorist," and states that it "will not distinguish between a business financed and controlled by a terrorist group, such as Al-Aqsa Television, and the terrorist group itself." Gaza bank, TV station see U.S. sanctions, 19 March 2010, CNNhttp://www.alarabiya.net/articles/2010/03/18/103433.html Human shields Defense for Children International-Palestine reported that 17 year-old Ahmad Abu Raida was kidnapped by Israeli soldiers who, after beating him up, used him as a human shield for five days, forcing him to walk in front of them with police dogs at gunpoint, search houses and dig in places soldiers suspected there might be tunnels.Palestinian teen: I was used as a human shield in Gaza +927. Retrieved 22 August 2014.Israeli forces use Palestinian child as human shield in Gaza, Defence for Children International Palestine. Retrieved 22 August 2014. the IDF confirmed that the troops suspected Ahmad of being a militant based on the affiliation of his father with Hamas (he worked in Gaza's Tourism Ministry) and so detained him during the ground operation. The IDF and Israeli authorities challenged the credibility of DCI-P noting their "scant regard for truth".Teenager Cites Ordeal as Captive of Israelis, Fares Akram, Judi Rudoren, 24 August 2014, NYT The IDF Military Advocate General opened criminal investigation into the event. Alleged violations by Hamas Killing and shooting of Gazan civilians The IDF stated on 31 July that more than 280 Hamas rockets malfunctioned and fell inside the Gaza strip, hitting sites including Al-Shifa Hospital and the Al-Shati refugee camp, killing at least 10 and wounding dozens. Hamas has denied that any of its rockets hit the Gaza Strip. While the incident is disputed, early news reports have suggested that the strike was from an Israeli drone missile. Twenty civilians from Shuja'iyya were killed while protesting against Hamas. A few days later, Hamas reportedly killed two Gazans and wounded ten after a scuffle broke out over food handouts. Killing of suspected collaborators Throughout the conflict, Hamas has executed Gazan civilians it accuses of collaborating with Israel: thirty on 30 July; forty-six on 21 and 22 August, Hamas executes 18 suspected collaborators with Israel in Gaza, JPost including twenty-five as part of a campaign codenamed "Strangling Necks"; four on 23 August;Hamas executes four more 'collaborators', Ynetnews and eighteen more at other times. Overall, Hamas executed 30-40 suspected collaborators during Operation Protective Edge, according to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Abbas condemned the executions, calling them murders and a crime. Abbas slams Hamas for intransigence, Ynetnews His Secretary-General, Al-Tayyib Abd al-Rahim, condemned the "random executions of those who Hamas called collaborators", adding that some of those killed had been detained for more than three years.PA slams Hamas executions of alleged collaborators, Maan News Agency Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and Palestinian human rights groups condemned the executions. Bodies of the victims were brought to hospitals to be added to the number of civilian casualties of Israeli operation. According to a Shin Bet official, "not even one" of the alleged collaborators executed by Hamas provided any intelligence to Israel, while the Shin Bet officially "confirmed that those executed during Operation Protective Edge had all been held in prison in Gaza in the course of the hostilities." Hamas co-founder Ayman Taha was found dead; Al-Quds Al-Arabi reported he had been shot by Hamas for maintaining contact with the intelligence services of several Arab countries; Hamas stated he was targeted by an Israeli airstrike. Human shields Israel has stated that many civilian casualties were the result of Hamas using the Gazan population as human shields at rocket launch targets.Hamas again uses Gazan civilians as human shields to prevent the Israeli Air Force from attacking operatives' houses The Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center. Retrieved 13 July 2014. The statements fall in two categories: using civilian structures like homes, mosques and hospitals to store munitions in or launch rockets from, and urging or forcing civilian population to stay in their homes, to shield militants. Use of civilian structures for military purposes Israel has stated that many mosques, schools and hospitals were used to store weapons. The IDF spokesman said that mortar shells were fired from a boys' school that served as a shelter for refugees. There were reports of the use of mosques to store weapons, and having launch sites very close to civilian structures. Gaza's Greek Orthodox archbishop has said that Hamas used the church compound, which sheltered 2000 Muslim civilians, to launch rockets into Israel. France 24 correspondent Gallagher Fenwick reported that a Hamas rocket-launching pad was placed in densely populated neighborhood of Gaza City, about 50 meters from the hotel where the majority of international media were staying and 100 meters from a UN building. Fenwick claimed that "children can be seen playing on and near the rocket launcher". According to Shabak, the Israeli internal security service, some of the militants, when interrogated, admitted using civilian buildings for military purposes. The admissions included more than ten mosques that were used for gatherings, training, storage of weapons, tunnel activities and military observations. During interrogations, one militant said that he was instructed in case of successful abduction using a tunnel to take the victim to a kindergarten located near its opening. Israel released footage of Palestinian militants launching rockets from a school and a cemetery. In at least one case a cemetery was targeted by an Israeli airstrike. Using civilian structures to store munitions and launch attacks from is unlawful, and the Fourth Geneva Convention states that "The presence of a protected person may not be used to render certain points or areas immune from military operations."The Fourth Geneva Convention, part III: Status and Treatment of Protected Persons, Art 28. Amnesty International stated that "Indiscriminate and disproportionate attacks (where the likely number of civilian casualties or damage to civilian property outweighs the anticipated military advantage to be gained) are ... prohibited." It said that "Israel's relentless air assault on Gaza has seen its forces flagrantly disregard civilian life and property". Human Rights Watch has said that in many cases "the Israeli military has presented no information to show that it was attacking lawful military objectives or acted to minimize civilian casualties." An investigation by Human Rights Watch found that "in most of the sites we investigated so far (in this conflict) we found no valid military targets". Some commentators noted the high population density of Gaza in conjunction with Palestinian military activities and installations being in or near civilian structures."FactCheck: Does Hamas use civilians as human shields?", channel4.com/factcheck; accessed 28 July 2014. Some critics note that the headquarters of the IDF and Shin Bet, as well as an Israeli military training facility, are located near civilian centers. On 24 August, Israel released part of what it says is a Hamas training manual on urban warfare, which states "the process of hiding ammunition inside buildings is intended for ambushes in residential areas and to move the campaign from open areas into built up and closed areas" and "residents of the area should be used to bring in the equipment...take advantage of this to avoid Israeli spy planes and attack drones." The manual also explains how fighting from within civilian population makes IDF operations difficult and what the benefits of civilian deaths are.Hamas’ disturbing ‘human shields’ manual, Bob Fredericks, NY Post, 5 August 2014 Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri dismissed the document as a "forgery...aimed at justifying the mass killings of Palestinian civilians." On 12 September, Ghazi Hamad, a senior Hamas official, acknowledged for the first time that Hamas did fire rockets from civilian areas and said "some mistakes were made".Hamas acknowledges its forces fired rockets from civilian areas, Haaretz (AP story), 12 September 2014; (same AP story:) Hamas admits to rocket fire from residential areas, Times of Israel (AP story), 12 September 2014 Medical facilities and personnel Medical units including hospitals and medical personnel have special protections under international humanitarian law. They lose their protection only if they commit, outside their humanitarian function, "acts harmful to the enemy." More than 25 medical facilities were damaged in the conflict; one attack on Al-Aqsa hospital killed 5 people. In many cases, ambulances and other medical personnel were hit. Amnesty International has condemned the attacks and said that there is "mounting evidence" that Israel deliberately targeted hospitals and medical personnel; Israel said it had not. A Finnish reporter from Helsingin Sanomat reported seeing rockets fired from near the Gaza Al-Shifa hospital.VIDEO: Finnish reporter sees rockets fired from Gaza hospital, ynet, 2 August 2014. The IDF said that in several cases Hamas used Wafa hospital as a military base and used ambulances to transport its fighters.Hamas Uses Hospitals and Ambulances for Military Purposes, IDF blog According to the Israeli Shabak, many of the militants it interrogated said that "everyone knew" that Hamas leaders were using hospitals for hiding. Hamas security reportedly wore police uniforms and blocked access to certain parts of the hospitals. One of the interrogated militants reportedly said that civilians seeking medical attention usually were thrown out by the security. French-Palestinian journalist Radjaa Abu DaggaJournalists threatened by Hamas for reporting use of human shields reported that Hamas militants interrogated him in Gaza's main hospital (Al-Shifa); his report was later removed from his paper's website at his request.While Israel held its fire, the militant group Hamas did not, William Booth, The Washington Post, 15 July 2014 Urging or forcing civilians to stay in their homes The IDF has released photographs which it says show civilians on rooftops, and a video of Hamas spokesperson Sami Abu Zuhri saying "the fact that people are willing to sacrifice themselves against Israeli warplanes in order to protect their homes ... is proving itself"."Is Hamas using human shields in Gaza?", CNN.com, 23 July 2014; accessed 28 July 2014."Is Hamas using human shields in Gaza?", 24 July 2014; accessed 28 July 2014. The EU has strongly condemned "calls on the civilian population of Gaza to provide themselves as human shields" and US Congress-members introduced bills condemning Hamas for using human shields."Bills condemning Hamas on ‘human shields' introduced in Congress." Jewish Telegraphic Agency. 29 July 2014."Ted Cruz, Kirsten Gillibrand team up on Hamas." Politico. 29 July 2014. Civilians and activists in Gaza used themselves as 'human shields' in attempts to prevent Israeli attacks. Hamas officials said that human shields were not used.Al Jazeera English report; accessed 22 July 2014. Gazans stated that "nobody is safe and nobody can flee anywhere because everywhere is targeted." Many reporters, including from the BBC,"Jeremy Bowen's Gaza notebook: I saw no evidence of Hamas using Palestinians as human shields", New Statesman; accessed 28 July 2014. the Independent and the Guardian said that they found no evidence of Hamas forcing Palestinians to stay and become unwilling human shields. Fatah officials said that Hamas placed over 250 Fatah members under house arrest or in jail, putting them under threat of being killed by Israeli strikes and shooting them in the legs or breaking their limbs if they tried to leave.Tensions between Hamas and Fatah overshadow work of reconciliation government, Amira Hass According to Mahmoud Abbas, more than 300 Fatah members were placed under house arrest and 120 were executed for fleeing. Amnesty International reported in a statement that it "does not have evidence at this point" that Palestinian civilians were intentionally used by Hamas or Palestinian armed groups during the current hostilities to "shield" specific locations or military personnel or equipment from Israeli attacks". It additionally said that "public statements referring to entire areas are not the same as directing specific civilians to remain in their homes as "human shields" for fighters, munitions, or military equipment" and that "even if officials or fighters from Hamas or Palestinian armed groups ... did in fact direct civilians to remain in a specific location in order to shield military objectives ..., all of Israel's obligations to protect these civilians would still apply." Human Rights Watch said many of the attacks on civilian targets appeared to be "disproportionate" and "indiscriminate". Human Rights Watch attributed many civilian deaths to the lack of safe places to flee to, and to Israel's targeting of fleeing civilians. It stated that there are many reasons that prevent civilians from abiding by warnings, and that the failure to abide by warnings does not make civilians lawful targets.HRW: Israel targets fleeing Palestinian civilians RT. 5 August 2014. Accessed 6 August 2014 A survey of Gazan residents by the Gatestone Institute addressed the subject of human shields, with respondents issuing statements such as "People received warnings from the Israelis and tried to evacuate...Hamas shot some of those people...the rest were forced to return to their homes and get bombed"; "Hamas imposed a curfew: anyone walking out in the street was shot without being asked any questions. That way Hamas made sure people had to stay in their homes even if they were about to get bombed"; and "My father received a text-message from the Israeli army warning him that our area was going to be bombed, and Hamas prevented us from leaving." Rocket attacks on Israeli civilians .]] Human rights organizations, including Amnesty International, pointed to Hamas's rocket attacks on Israeli cities as violations of international law and war crimes. Palestinian ambassador to the UN Human Rights Council, Ibrahim Khraishi stated in an 9 July interview on PA TV that the "missiles that are now being launched against Israel – each and every missile constitutes a crime against humanity, whether it hits or misses, because it is directed at civilian targets". Hamas political figure Khaled Mashaal has defended the firing of rockets into Israel, saying that "our victims are civilians and theirs are soldiers"."In defiant speech, Mashaal denies ceasefire close", The Times of Israel; accessed 28 July 2014. According to one report, "nearly all the 2,500–3,000 rockets and mortars Hamas has fired at Israel since the start of the war seem to have been aimed at towns", including an attack on "a kibbutz collective farm close to the Gaza border", in which an Israeli child was killed. Former Israeli Lt. Col. Jonathan D. Halevi stated that "Hamas has expressed pride in aiming long-range rockets at strategic targets in Israel including the nuclear reactor in Dimona, the chemical plants in Haifa, and Ben-Gurion Airport", which "could have caused thousands" of Israeli casualties "if successful". According to Israel, Hamas continued to fire rockets at the Erez border crossing while sick and wounded Gazans tried to enter Israel for treatment. The Erez border crossing is the only legal border crossing between Gaza and Israel. Other people effected by this included journalists, UN workers, and volunteers.Hamas 'fires at sick Gazans trying to leave for medical treatment', Ynet News, Assaf Kamar, 1 September 2014Waiting to transport sick, drivers at Gaza crossing come under attack, The Times of Israel, Lazar Berman and Marissa Newman, 24 August 2014 Military use of UN facilities The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) has a number of institutions and schools in the Gaza region, and, as of 24 July 23 had been closed. Hamas took advantage of the closures to employ some of these vacant UNRWA buildings as weapon storage sites.Colum Lynch, "The U.N. Takes Fire in Gaza", Foreign Policy, 24 July 2014. UNRWA officials, on discovering that three""UN admits its schools in Gaza were used to store Hamas rockets", The World Tribune, 23 July 2014.Chandler, Adam. "Hamas Rockets Found in Second United Nations School", The Wire, 22 July 2014. such vacated schools had been employed for storing rockets, condemned Hamas's actions, calling it a "flagrant violation of the neutrality of our premises."France-Presse, Agence. "UNRWA investigating discovery of 20 rockets found in empty Gaza school." The Guardian. Friday, 18 July 2014. Israel's foreign minister Avigdor Lieberman stated that UNRWA had turned over some discovered rockets to Hamas. Israel Democracy Institute Vice President, Mordechai Kremnitzer, accused the UNRWA of war crimes for handing over the rockets, while Hebrew University Professor Robbie Sabel stated that the UNRWA "had no legal obligation to hand the rockets over to Israel" and had little other choice in the matter."Did UNRWA Commit a War Crime by Handing Rockets Over To Hamas", Jerusalem Post, 22 July 2014. UNRWA states the armouries had been transferred to local police authorities under the Ramallah national unity government's authority, in accordance with "longstanding UN practice in UN humanitarian operations worldwide". "UN agency handed rockets back to Hamas, Israel says", timesofisrael.com; accessed 28 July 2014. UN Secretary Ban Ki-moon ordered an investigation.Ban Orders Review Following Allegations That UNRWA Gave Rockets Back To Hamas,'. Jewish Telegraphic Agency, 24 July 2014. On 30 July, the IDF said that they had discovered the entrance to a tunnel concealed inside a UNRWA medical clinic in Khan Yunis. The clinic was rigged with explosives, which then exploded and killed three Israeli soldiers. This report was later corrected by the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories, the military unit that implements government policies in the Palestinian areas, who later that day stated that despite its UNRWA sign, the site was not registered as belonging to UNRWA. Intimidation of journalists Israeli officials said Hamas intimidates journalists in Gaza. A French reporter said that he was "detained and interrogated by members of Hamas's al-Qassam Brigade" in Gaza's Al-Shifa hospital, and forced to leave Gaza; he later asked the newspaper to remove his article from their site."Hamas threatening journalists in Gaza who expose abuse of civilians." The Times of Israel. 28 July 2014."Tu dois quitter Gaza au plus vite et arrêter de travailler." Liberation. 24 July 2014.Debinski, Gabrielle, Or Avi-Guy and Tzvi Fleischer. "Trapped in Gaza: How Hamas punishes reporters for the truth." The Australian. 31 July 2014. Some journalists reported threats on social media against those who tweet about missile launch sites. John Reed of The Financial Times was threatened after he tweeted about rockets being fired from near Al-Shifa Hospital, and RT correspondent Harry Fear was told to leave Gaza after he tweeted that Hamas fired rockets from near his hotel. Isra al-Modallal, head of foreign relations for the Hamas Information Ministry, said Hamas did deport foreign journalists who filmed Hamas rocket launches, stating that by filming the launch sites the journalists were collaborating with Israel.Hamas deported journalists, spokesperson reportedly admits, HaaretzHamas Spox: We Deported Foreign Journalists for Filming Missile Launches, Algemeiner.com The Foreign Press Association (FPA) in Israel and the Palestinian territories protested what it called "blatant, incessant, forceful and unorthodox methods employed by the Hamas authorities ... against visiting international journalists in Gaza", saying several had been harassed or questioned over information they reported. It also claimed Hamas was trying to "put in place a 'vetting' procedure" that would allow the blacklisting of specific journalists. Globes English - Foreign journalists protest Hamas threats Some FPA members disputed the FPA's comments, including New York Times Jerusalem bureau chief Jodi Rudoren, who wrote "every reporter I've met who was in Gaza during the war says this Israeli/now FPA narrative of Hamas harassment is nonsense." The Israeli newspaper Haaretz interviewed many foreign journalists and found "all but a few of the journalists deny any such pressure". They said Hamas's intimidation was no worse than what they got from the IDF, and said no armed forces would permit reporters to broadcast militarily sensitive information. Furthermore, most reporters seldom saw Hamas fighters, because they fought from concealed locations and in places that were too dangerous to approach.Anshel Pfeffer, 'Foreign press: Hamas didn't censor us in Gaza, they were nowhere to be found,' Haaretz 8 August 2014. Military weaponry and techniques Palestine Rockets The rockets used by Gazan militias vary in range, size and lethality. They include the Syrian-made (Chinese-designed) M-302"Syrian made M302." The Jerusalem Post. Accessed 12 August 2014. and the locally-made M-75, which have the range to target Tel-Aviv."Long range Hamas rockets." IBTimes. 10 August 2014."Hamas firing chia designed rockets." NBC News. Accessed 12 August 2014."M75 strikes Tel Aviv." Maan News Accessed 12 August 2014."Hamas produces rockets as fighting winds down." The Guardian. 13 August 2014. Other rockets include the Soviet Katyushas and Qassams."Hamas Rocket Arsenal." Business Insider. July 2014. According to the Fars News Agency, Fajr-5 (long range Iranian) rockets have a warhead of 150–200 kg.Iran supplied Hamas with Fajr-5 missile technology, Saeed Kamali Dehghan, The Guardian, 21 November 2012 According to Theodore Postol, the vast majority of Gazan artillery rocket warheads contain 10- to 20-pound explosive loads. Postol states that this fact makes bomb shelters more effective for protection. Mark Perry states that the "vast majority of the rockets are unsophisticated Qassams, with a 10-20 kg warhead and no guidance system". He also stated that "Hamas’ arsenal is considerably weaker today than it was in 2012". Regarding the Fajr-5, he stated that Iran had not transferred full-fledged rockets to Hamas, it only transferred technology to manufacture them. He also stated that "its guidance system was crude, at best, and its warhead nearly non-existent." According to the IDF, of all the 4,564 projectiles fired at Israel, 224 hit built-up areas, 735 were intercepted by the Iron Dome, 875 fell inside Gaza and the rest fell in open territory or failed to launch. Gazan tunnels Other weaponry Hamas has also used a "crude, tactical" drone, reported to be Iranian-made and named "Ababil-1". Palestinian militant groups have also used anti-tank rockets against armoured vehicles, as well as against groups of Israeli soldiers. Some armored personnel carriers were hit by missiles, and the Israeli Trophy system reportedly intercepted at least 15 anti-tank missiles shot at Merkava IV tanks. Anti-tank mines had also been used against armored vehicles. Israel , 24 July 2014]] Israel has used air, land and naval weaponry. The artillery includes Soltam M71 guns and US-manufactured Paladin M109s (155-mm howitzers). The aerial weaponry includes drones and F-16 fighter jets. Drones are used to constantly monitor the Gaza strip.Israeli Drones Buzz Over Ghost Towns of Gaza, Alex Marquardt, ABC News, 18 July 2014Gaza's Tunnels, Now Used to Attack Israel, Began as Economic Lifelines, James Verini, National Geographic, 21 July 2014 The IDF stated that it attacked 5,263 targets in Gaza, including:News of Terrorism and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, ITIC * 1,814 rocket and mortar launch or otherwise related sites * 191 weapon factories and warehouses * 1,914 command and control centers * 237 government institutions supporting the militant activity * hundreds of military outposts inside buildings A bomb disposal expert in the Palestinian Interior Ministry said that by 22 August, 8,000 bombs and 70,000 artillery shells, or 20,000 tons of explosives (the equivalent of six nuclear bombs), had been dropped on Gaza;Ma'an News, Police: Israel dropped 'equivalent of 6 nuclear bombs' on Gaza, http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=722484 Channel 4 said a bomb disposal expert had reported the same figures. The Sydney Morning Herald quoted an anonymous expert who estimated that 10,000 tonnes of explosives were dropped from the air alone, which does not include tank and artillery shells. Between 32 and 34 known tunnels were destroyed or neutralized, 13 of them destroyed completely. The performance of the Iron Dome defense system was considered effective, achieving an almost 90% success rate.Iron Dome Blunts 90% Of Enemy Rockets - Aviationweek.com, 1 September 2014 Israel's early warning sirens and extensive shelters have been an effective defense against Gazan rocketry.Theodore Postol, Explanation of the Evidence of Weaknesses in the Iron Dome Defense System, MIT Technology Review, 15 July 2014 They are less effective against short-range mortars because they have less time to react. Media coverage Portrayals of the conflict in different media outlets varied. U.S. news sources were often more sympathetic to Israel while British news sources featured more criticism of Israel. Commentators on both sides claimed that the media was biased either for or against Israel. According to an article by Subrata Ghoshroy published in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, most United States media focused on Hamas rockets, of which only 3% actually strike populated areas (causing little damage), with less attention paid to Palestinian casualties, or to why Gazans back Hamas's rocket campaign.Subrata Ghoshroy, 'Israel's Iron Dome: a misplaced debate', Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, 29 July 2014. As the conflict progressed and Palestinian deaths increased, British media became somewhat more critical of Israel. Within Israel, the newspaper Haaretz issued an editorial stating that the "soft Gaza sand... could turn into quicksand" for the Israeli military and also warned about the "wholesale killing" of Palestinian civilians; the article declared: "There can be no victory here". The Sydney Morning Herald apologised for running an allegedly antisemitic cartoon after Australian Attorney-General George Brandis denounced it as "deplorable."Dean, Sarah. "The way-too-far side: Sydney newspaper apologises for 'anti-Semitic' cartoon after Attorney-General brands it 'deplorable'." The Daily Mail. 4 August 2014. Israel was accused of waging a propaganda war, and on both sides, sympathetic authors released video games relating to the conflict. In Israel, according to Naomi Chazan, the Gaza war sparked "an equally momentous conflagration at the heart of Israeli society": attempts to question government policy were met with severe verbal and physical harassment, incidents of Arab-bashing occurred daily, and 90% of internet posts on the war were found to be racist or to constitute incitement.Naomi Chazan, 'Israel's other war: Moral attrition', The Times of Israel, 25 August 2014. Diplomatic efforts A number of diplomatic efforts were made to resolve the conflict. These attempts included efforts by United States Secretary of State John Kerry to broker a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, like the meeting in Paris with European G4 foreign ministers and his counterparts of Qatar and Turkey. The New York Times. 5 August 2014. Egypt brokered a number of ceasefires between Hamas and Israel."Israeli airstrike kills militant leader Gaza Strip ground campaign Ottawa Citizen."Israel Palestinians Accept Ceasefire." Huffington Post. 4 August 2014."Reports Israel May Accept Ceasefire Proposal From Egypt." NPR. 14 July 2014."UAE backs Egypt brokered ceasefire on Gaza conflict." Dubai Eye. 24 July 2104. On 17 September, a UN official said that the amount of building materials entering Gaza may quadruple under a reconstruction plan agreed to by the Palestinian Authority, Israel and the UN. According to the deal, use of the building materials will be overseen by the UN. An international conference on the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip is scheduled to begin in Cairo on Oct. 12, 2014. See also * 2013–14 Israeli–Palestinian peace talks * 2014 in Israel * 2014 in the Palestinian territories * History of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict * List of the Israel Defense Forces operations * List of wars involving Israel * List of wars involving the State of Palestine * Timeline of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict Footnotes References External links * * * * * * * 2014 Israel-Gaza conflict Category:2014 in Israel Category:2014 in the Gaza Strip Category:Aerial operations and battles involving Israel Category:Conflicts in 2014 Category:Gaza–Israel conflict Category:Israeli operations against Gaza strip Category:Military operations involving Israel Category:Invasions by Israel